Winding mechanism



Aug. 20, 1929. J. CLAYTON WINDING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19. 1926 WWWW% IIII INVENTOR gBY) Z ATTORNEY 7 Aug. 20, 1929. J. CLAYTON WINDING MECHANISM Filed June 19. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR M A ORNEY Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH CLAYTON, on NEW roan, N. Y.

WINDING MECHANISM.

Application filed June 19,

The present invention relates generally to winding apparatus, and is more particularly directed to improvements in mechanisms for transferring material wrapped or wound upon one support, such as a spool or the like, to another support upon which the material is to be similarly disposed.

While my invention is broadly directed to a winding mechanism which has a multiplicity of uses, as in winding textiles, paper, and other materials which are wound upon reels, spools or similar supports or carriers, for the purposes of the present disclosure I will describe my invention, more or less specifically, as it may be employed in winding motion picture film upon the usual reels or spools designed for the purpose.

As is well known, a motion picture film as it is fed through the projecting apparatus is wound upon a. reel in such a manner that the pictures are in the reverse of the sequence in which they must be shown or exhibited. Therefore at the conclusion of the exhibition the film must be unwound from this reel and rewound upon another reel in order to again exhibit the pictures in their proper order of continuity.

F or performing the above described rewinding operation different forms of socalled rewinding apparatus have been devised. For example, one prior art mechanism embodies a gear driven shaft adapted to carry a reel which is to be loaded, the reel from which the film is to be transferred being supported upon another shaft carrying a disc, the perimeter of which is engaged by a friction material supported by a spring actuated arm. This spring actuated arm is designed to act as a brake to control the unwinding speed of the loaded reel. In practice, all of the aforesaid existing forms of apparatus, including that specifically described, have been found to be more or less unsatisfactory by reason of the multiplicity of parts and cost of maintenance and, of greater importance, their inefficiency in performing the work for which they are designed. Unless the film is wound tightly or closely upon a reel there is always danger of it buckling or scratching and with these prior types of mechanisms considerable care and skill must be exercised to obtain even fair results. Another disadvantage of the brake mechanism resides in the rapid wear of the friction material causing uneven braking action. Also, the springs become 1926. Serial No. 117,017.

fatigued so that frequent adjustments or replacements are required.

The disadvantages pointed out in connection with existing forms of winding mechanisms used in connection with motion picture film are also present in winding. apparatus employed in the textile and other arts where such devices are used, the structures being generally similar in the co-operation of the element-s and their method of functioning.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide winding mechanism which will be susceptible of use wherever such forms of apparatus may be employed and which will overcome the disadvantages of existing types of winding mechanisms so as to obtain highly eflicient results at a minimum of cost.

A further object of. my invention is to provide a winding mechanism which will be of a simplified construction so that it may be economically produced and assembled, not only in new apparatus, but in substitution for present winding mechanisms.

My invention also comprehends a portable winding mechanism which may be readily set up and taken down for use wherever desired, thereby giving my invention an usually Wide range of utility in the arts to which it is applicable.

Briefly stated, my invention contemplates the provision ofmeans whereby the material being wound may pass from the source of supply to the winding element under a substantially even or constant tension so as to insure uniform and closely associated windings irrespective of the skill of the operator and the speed at which the winding process is carried on.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will doubtless present themselves as the description proceeds and I would have it understood that I reserve unto myself all rights to the full range of equivalents, both in structure and in use, to which I may be entitled under my invention in its broadest aspect.

In the present disclosure I have illustrated a preferred form of structure for attaining the objects hereinbefore set forth. However, changes in structural details, obviously, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a winding mechanism made in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown at the left of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional detail of the controlling mechanism shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view partly in section of the mechanism or means for driving the winding reel or spool, shown at the right of Figure 1, and g Figure 5is a view in perspective of parts and fragments of parts of the mechan sm shown in Figure 4 in disassembled relation.

Referring 110w to the drawings in detail, in which like characters of reference are employed to designate similar parts in the sev eral views, 7 indicates a bracket or standard having co-operating jaws 8 and 9 whereby said standard or bracket may be clamped or fixed to a suitable support 10 by the adjustable screw 11, in the manner followed in the employment of the conventional form of C-clamp.

The aforesaid bracket or standard is pro vided with a head 12 at its upper end hav ing an extension 13 bored to receive the shaft 14. lVhile this standard or bracket is shown in the form employed in the portable winding mechanism, it will be obvious that the shaft 14 may be supported within a bearing member of a machine or in any other suitable member as, manifestly, in the textile art, for instance, a winding mechanism would be an element of another machine.

As will be observed, the shaft 14 embodies a portion 15 of a reduced diameter in which a key 16 is inserted, the said key being adapted to enter a slot 17 in the bore of the member 18 which is locked to rotate with said shaft by said key and a set-screw 19, it being evident that the set-screw functions to prevent longitudinal movement of member 18 on said shaft.

The body portion of the aforesaid member. 18 which is annular, merges into a tapered or conical end 20 to fit the complemental bearing surface 21 of the bore in the head 12 of said standard 7.

Mounted on the extension 13 of the head.

7 12 is a clutch member 22 the hub 23 of which rotatable clutch member 22.

Fixed to the outer end of the shaft 14 b means of a set-screw 26 is a member 27 having oppositely located lugs or extensions 28 which are adapted for seating within the diametrically disposed slot 29 formed in the boss 30 which is preferably integral with the face of the clutch member 25. From this it will be seen that while the clutch member is normally rotatable on the shaft 14 the engagement of the lugs of the member 27 with the boss serves as a key whereby the said clutch member and said shaft are rendered relatively non-rotatable. The reduced port-ion 15 of the shaft 14 is adapted to receive a. reel or spool31 of the conventional type used in winding motion picture film, the bore in the reel being slotted to engage the key 16 so that the reel will rotate with the vshaft 14. To retain the reel upon the shaft,

a locking device which consists 'of a. short arm 32'is hinged to the extremity of the reduced portion of the shaft as at 33, it being apparent that when the said arm is moved into alignment with the shaft the reel may be located thereon in engagement with the key 16 after which the said arm may be turned at an angle as shown in Figure 2 to prevent the movement of the reel longitudinally on the shaft. 7

The winding mechanism shown in Figures 4 and 5 is supported by a standard or bracket similar to that already described, the shaft 34 of the winding mechanism likewise having a reduced portion 36 which carries a reel 37 in engagement with the kev 38 which in co-operation with the set-screw 39 locks the member 40 to the portion 36 of said shaft 34. As described in connection with the member 18 the member 40 has a conical or bevelled face 41 complemental to the surface 42 of the bore of the head 43 of the standard 44. Mounted upon the extension 45 of the standard head 43 is' a clutch member 46 the hub 47 of which embodies a pulley 48 to receive a belt whereby the said clutch member, which is normallyfreely rotatable upon said extension 45, may be driven from a suitable source of power, as an electric motor. In lieu of said pulley 48 the hub of the clutch member 46 may have teeth formed thereon for a chain drive or the clutch member may be driven by any other satisfactory means, suitable spacers or anti-friction washers 49 and 50 beinginterposed between the opposite faces of the head 43' and the hub 47 of the clutch member 46.

As in the structures shown in Figures 2 and 3, a second clutch member 51 is carried by the shaft 34 which is adapted to be keyed thereto by the co-operation of the lugs 51 of the member 52 with the slotted boss 53, the said member 52 being locked to the shaft by the set-screw 54.

Slidably mounted upon the shaft 34 is the bearing portion 55 of a hand crank 56 which is retained on the shaft by means of a stop comprising a washer 57 fixed to the end of the shaft by means of a screw 58. While other forms of stops may be used, that disclosed permits of the ready removal of the hand crank from the shaft and of the assemblage of the associated. elements. As

will be observed the inner end of the bearing portion of the hand crank is undercut or of a stepped formation as indicated at 59 for engagement with the complemental shoulder on the adjacent end of the member 52. From this it will be apparent that by the inter-engagement of the surfaces 59 and 60 the shaft 84 and its inter-connected elements may be manually rotated, said sur faces 59 and 60 being disconnected by the movement of the crank outwardly of the shaft when the mechanism is power driven as hereinafter described.

In the operation of my invention I provide for variable friction between the clutch members of the control and winding mechanisms, automatically governed by the mate rial which is being handled.

The longitudinal adjustment of the members 18 and 27 on the control mechanism shaft 14 fixes the normal frictional contact between the stationary clutch member 22 and the rotatable'clutch member 25, while a like adjustment of the members 40 and 52 on the shaft 34 regulates the effective effort of the driving clutch member 46 upon the driven clutch member 51 of the winder. In each case the adjustment of the aforesaid members 18 and 27, and 40 and 52 is such as to provide for a slight longitudinal movement of the respective shafts as the tapered surfaces of the members 18 and 41 slide in or out upon their respective bearings, it being obvious that while this movement is inappreciable it is nevertheless sufficient to urge the IQSPGCtiVG clutch surfaces into or out of closer contact.

Thus, assuming that the reel 31 is loaded the free end of the film carried thereby is attached to the hub of the reel 37 and a few turns made by the manual revolution of the latter reel by means of the crank 56 coupled to the clutch member 51 keyed to the shaft 34 on which said reel is mounted.

The winding is then continued through the medium of the driving clutch member 46 in engagement with the clutch member 51. In the initial stages of the windings, it will be evident that the clutch faces will slip readily so that irrespective of the speed of rotation of the clutch member 46 the speed of the driven member 51 will be governed by the pull of the material under the retardative effort of the clutch members 22 and 25, the effective surface of the member 25 having been urged into close association with the member 22 by the longitudinal movement of the shaft (to the left in Figure 3) in response to the weight of the loaded reel 31. This is the result of the slight canting of the shaft, under load, which is permitted by the previously described normal adjustment of the members 18 and 27 and the tapered bearing surface of the member 18. As the load on the reel 37 increases the surfaces of the clutch members 46 and 51 will be steadily urged into closer association, the speed of rotation of the shaft 34 increasing proportionately with the increase in the peripheral speed of the material as the windings are multiplied, while, at the same time, the slippage between the clutch members 22 and 25 is promoted as the unwinding of the material from the reel 31 lessens the load on the shaft 14, the retardative effort, however, at the control end of the mechanism being at all times ample to maintain the film under a uniform or constant tension in its passage from one reel to the other.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a winding mechanism produced in accordance with my invent-ion will ensure close or compact windings upon the reels or spools or other carriers upon which the material being operated upon is to be wound, by reason of the fact that throughout the winding operation the material is maintained under a constant or uniform tension. However, owing to the type of clutch mechanisms which I employ, the pull upon the material, while sufficient to obtain the results described, will never be great enough to cause the material to stretch or break. This fact will be clearly evident from my disclosure.

lVhile, as before stated, I have described a specific embodiment of my invention as applied to a particular use, it will be manifest that I have evolved a winding mechanism which is of a simple and durable construction, and which will overcome the disadvantages of prior art devices as and in the manner hereinbefore set forth.

I claim:

1. In a winding mechanism the combination of a pair of spaced supports, a shaft rotatable within each support, each of said shafts being adapted to support a carrier for the work, friction means for controlling the rotation of each of said shafts, and means whereby the functioning of said friction means will be governed solely by the load of the work on the respective shafts.

2. A winding mechanism comprising a rotatable element, means for yieldingly drivmg said element, said means embodying friction surfaces, a second rotatable element, a fixed friction surface and a rotatable friction surface associated with said latter element and means whereby material carried by said elements and passing from one to the other thereof will control the friction between the surfaces associated with the respective elements to vary the speed of rotation of said elements and maintain the material under a constant tension.

3. A. winding mechanism comprising a r0- tatable element, means for yieldingly driving said element, said means embodying friction surfaces, a second rotatable element, a fixed friction surface and a rotatable friction surface associated with said latter element, adjustable means for permitting variation in the friction between the aforesaid surfaces of each element within predetermined limits and means effective in response to changes in load upon said elements to vary the frictionbetween the cooperating friction surfaces associated with each of said elements.

4. A means for controlling the unwinding of material in a rewinding operation comprising a support, a shaft journaled therein, a member fixed to said support and provided with a friction surface, a second member rotatable with said shaft and having a surface adapted to engage said friction surface, means adjust-able longitudinally of said shaft for limiting the movementvof said second member into and out of engagement with the friction surface of said fixed member, a carrier for material mounted on said shaft. and means whereby the friction between the cooperating surfaces of said two members will decrease with the diminution of the load upon said carrier.

5. A means for controlling the unwinding of material in a rewinding operation, em-

bodying a fixed support including an annular member having a conical friction surface, a shaft extending through said support, a member rotatable with said shaft having a surface adapted to frictionally engage the conical surface of said annular member and means for permitting longitudinal movement of said shaft in response to changes in the load carried thereby to vary the friction between the engaging surfaces of said fixed and rotatable members.

6. A winding apparatus comprising mechanism for controlling the unwinding of material from one element and mechanism for controlling the winding of such material upon another element, the functioning of said two mechanisms being simultaneously and solely governed by the gradual diminution of the load of material upon the first of said mechanisms and the resulting increase of the load upon the other of said mechanisms.

7. A Winding apparatus having a delivery mechanism and a receiving mechanism, each embodying a horizontal shaft adapted to carry a reel or spool, a disc-like clutch member mounted upon and rotatable with each shaft, a fixed clutch member adapted to be frictionally engaged by the shaft-rotated clutch member of said delivery mechanism and a driven clutch member frictionally engageable by the shaft-rotated clutch member of the receiving mechanism, means embodying a tapered bearing surface keyed to the shaft of each mechanism, each means funcsaid element being tioning solely in response to the decrease and increase of the loads on the respective shafts to move its shaft longitudinally to effect a differential in the frictional engagement between the respective clutch members of each mechanism proportionate to the load carried by the shaft of each.

8. A winding apparatus having a delivery mechanism and a receiving mechanism, each embodying a horizontally disposed shaft adapted to support a reel or spool for rotation therewith, a fixed clutch member associated with said delivery mechanism, a clutch member rotatable with the shaft of said delivery mechanism adapted to frictionally engage said fiXed clutch member, a clutch member keyed to the shaft of said receiving mechanism, a cooperating clutch member adapted to be driven from a source of power independently of said shaft of the latter mechanism, and means for varying the frictional engagement between the respective clutch members of each mechanism, the functioning of said means being controlled solely by the passage of the material from the delivery mechanism to the receiving mechanism.

9. A winding apparatus having a delivery iechanism and a receiving mechanism, each mechanism having relatively adjustable frictionally engaged elements adapted to maintain a uniform tension in the material in its passage from the delivery mechanism to the receiving mechanism, the adjustment of said elements for various loads being effected solely by such loads.

10. An apparatus for rewinding material, having a delivery mechanism and a receiving mechanism, each mechanism embodying elements relatively adjustable for variabl frictional engagement adapted to cooperate With the material passing from one mechanism to the other, to maintain said material at a uniform tension throughout the rewinding operation, the relative adjustment of controlled solely by the changing loads of material on said mechanisms.

11. An apparatus for rewinding material having a delivery mechanism and a receiving mechanism, each of said mechanisms embodying elements relatively adjustable for variable frictional engagement and means for controlling the frictional engagement of the elements of each mechanism to maintain the material under uniform tension as it is transferred from one mechanism to the other, the functioning of said means being auto matically controlled by the variations in the load of material on each of said mechanisms.

JOSEPH CLAYTON. 

